Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested a suspected foreign terrorist fighter and an alleged illegal immigrant during a security operation in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The suspects were apprehended by troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion at about 11:48 a.m. on July 19, 2026, in Lassa, Dille General Area, as part of ongoing intelligence-led counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.
Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Mohammad Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, one of the suspects, identified as Musa Fashir, 32, is a Sudanese national suspected of being a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator.
“Preliminary intelligence indicates that the suspect has established links with terrorist elements,” Goni said, adding that investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of his activities and possible connections to insurgent networks.
The troops also arrested Mary Florence, 36, who claimed to be an illegal immigrant from Ghana. The military said her identity, immigration status and reason for being in the area were being investigated.
Both suspects are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and interrogation to establish their identities and determine whether they have links to terrorist groups or transnational criminal networks.
Goni said the arrests reflect the impact of intelligence-driven operations by troops in the North-East and the military’s efforts to disrupt terrorist support networks and prevent the movement of foreign fighters into the region.
